Shoe.



M. E. SHOEMAKER.

SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED 00114, 1913.

Patented June 23, 1914.

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MARGARET EMMA SHOEMAKER, 0F GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 23, 1914.

Application filed October 14, 1913. Serial No. 795,118.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARGARET E. SHoE- MAKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

Specifically stated, the object of the present invention is the provision of a shoe upper wherein the closure flap is folded along its free edge, and slit at intervals for the reception of the flexible shanks of a row of buttons adapted to project from the marginal edge of the flap to add to the attractiveness and neatness of appearance of the foot of the wearer, the parts being so arranged as to be secured together as a finished article by a single row of stitching.

The invention consists in the combination, specific construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing forming a portion of this specification and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views; Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shoe partly open showing the arrangement of buttons in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail rear elevation of the closure flap of the shoe. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the flexible shank.

Referring to the drawing by numerals 1 designates the shoe upper, and 2 one of the flaps thereof to which the buttons 3 are secured in the ordinary well-known manner, the closure flap 4 being provided with the usual button holes 5 for the reception of the said buttons.

My invention consists in the provision of a flat strip of non-metallic flexible material preferably leather, of any suitable length to form the shank of the buttons 6. The strip is split longitudinally for a portion of its length from one end thereof to provide attaching tongues 7 and 8 which are bent in opposite directions and arranged within the buttons 6 as shown in Fig. 2, the latter being molded on the said split end of the strip.

The closure flap 4 is folded upon itself beyond the button holes 5 thereof, and has its marginal edge provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending slits 9 which are arranged at spaced intervals throughout its length and in aline with the said button holes. The free ends of the strips are extended within the slits 9 and between the folds of the flap 4, the said slits being of suitable length to accommodate the said strips, which are secured therein in any suitable manner, preferably by stitching as indicated at 10 in the drawing. It will thus be seen that when the strips are so arranged within the slits 9 and between the folds of the upper 4, the said folds and strips may be readily and quickly secured together as a finished article by a single row of machine stitching. The strips when so arranged between the folds will cause the buttons 6 secured at the outer ends of the said strips to be arranged in upright position and in close proximity with the buttons 3 which admirably addsto the attractiveness and neatness of the appearance of the foot of the wearer of the shoe.

It will thus be manifest that I have provided a shoe button with a flexible shank which is so constructed that any number of said buttons may be readily and quickly secured to the shoe upper in the manner hereinabove set forth by a single row of machine stitching, and when so secured, said buttons will be disposed in upright position directly opposite and in parallelism with the buttons 3 for the purpose hereinabove described.

It will be further obvious that the buttons 6 by reason of their arrangement provide for a better purchase of the free edge ofthe flap 4 for the purpose of unbuttoning the shoe and which consequently facilitates such operation.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described, as various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A shoe upper having button holes for the reception of the ordinary buttons, and a plurality of buttons having flexible shanks secured to the marginal edge of the upper, in such manner that said buttons are arranged in line with and laterally of said button holes.

2. A shoe upper having button holes for the reception of the ordinary buttons, and spaced slits in its marginal edge, and a plurality of buttons disposed in line with and single row of stitching binding the fold and laterally of said button holes and having said flexible portions.

flexible portions secured within said slits. In testimony whereof-I a-ifix my signature 3. A shoe upper folded upon itself and in presence of two witnesses.

provided with spaced slits upon its line of MARGARET EMMA SHOEMAKER. fold, and a plurality of buttons having flat Witnesses:

non-metallic flexible portions arranged With- MARION L. JENNINGS,

in the slits and between the folds, and a 5 B. G. SHOEMAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent Washington, D. 0. V 

